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James
Bowen Baylor,
hydrographic and geodetic engineer, U.S. Coast and Geodetic
Survey, retired, died at Buxton, Maryland, at the home of his
daughter, Mrs. Edward Fisher, on May 23, 1924, at 75. He was
one of the oldest officers of the Survey and one of the few
survivors of the cadets of the Virginia Military Institute who
fought at the battle of Newmarket. James Bowen Baylor was born
in Mirador, Albemarle County, Virginia, May 30, 1849. He was
educated at the Virginia Military Institute, and at the University
of Virginia, was a graduate of both institutions, and received
degrees from both.
He entered the Coast Survey as temporary aid January 10, 1873,
was made a subassistant July 24, 1879; assistant August 1,
1886; hydrographic and geodetic engineer with relative rank
of Lieutenant in the Navy May 18, 1920, and was retired June
4, 1920. As an engineer he was intrusted with numerous important
missions, among them being the resurvey of the boundary line
between the United States and Canada in conjunction with the
officials of the Dominion Government. He also made surveys
of the Louisiana and Virginia oyster beds, and his findings
in the latter have been cited in determining disputes between
the states of Maryland and Virginia. In 1902 Mr. Baylor was
appointed as commissioner by the Supreme Court of the United
States to trace the boundary between Virginia and Tennessee,
and also undertook similar work with respect to Pennsylvania
and New York. He was engaged at various times in magnetic
observations extending over the greater part of the United
States. He was the author of numerous reports on scientific
subjects.
Mr. Baylor inherited from his father, Newmarket, an estate
in Virginia, originally granted to his family by King George
I, which has remained in the family for 200 years. He was
a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, the Metropolitan,
Cosmos, and Army and Navy Clubs of Washington, and the Westmoreland
Club, of Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Baylor married January 5,
1885, Ellen C. Bruce (now deceased). Surviving him are two
daughters, Mrs. Pelham Blackford of Richmond, Virginia, and
Mrs. Edward Fisher, and a son, John Baylor of Washington.
C&GS Bulletin 5/1924
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